2011.01.17: January 17, 2011: Niger Peace Corps Volunteer "Back In Africa " writes: I had only been there 48 hours (on Saturday) when I received the text message: two Frenchmen had been kidnapped in Niamey at a bar the night before

Niger Peace Corps Volunteer "Back In Africa " writes: I had only been there 48 hours (on Saturday) when I received the text message: two Frenchmen had been kidnapped in Niamey at a bar the night before

"I sat in my concession for awhile thinking "this is not good." A little over a year ago, Peace Corps had given an optional Interrupted Service to volunteers and had removed an entire training class after an attempted kidnapping; this was much worse - they had been taken, there was no ransom, and they were killed during a rescue mission. Still, I knew my villagers would do anything they could to protect me, and I still felt completely safe in my rural town. Then, Saturday afternoon, I had a terrifying experience that somewhat changed my perspective on things. I heard a motorcycle stop outside my concession, and soon after one of my host moms yelled that someone wanted to see me - I came outside to see a man in all camouflage holding a ginormous gun. Needless to say, I started mumbling words of terror in English and ran into my mom's house. Eventually, I figured out he was a policeman sent from a nearby village to come check on me after the night's events, but the whole encounter made salient to me how if something were to happen, I really wouldn't have many options."

Caption: Two French citizens who died after being kidnapped from this restaurant in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Janaury 9, 2011 were probably killed by their captors. French troops were attempting to rescue them when they found the bodies.

It was Wednesday the 5th when we drove south from Dosso, my regional capital, toward Gaya, my new subregion. During the drive, the scenery became progressively more green, a detail I couldn't miss after just having lived nine weeks in the desert. As soon as we reached Gaya and the Niger River, I couldn't stop smiling... I was in utter amazement at the sight of the beautiful palm trees as the African sun was setting in front of me. The next morning, on Thursday, I was installed into my beautiful, riverside village.

After my supervisor helped me settle in and spoke with my villagers about explanations and expectations (and a good five minute rant about how I was, in fact, not Chinese or Japanese, but American), the Peace Corps vehicle took off, and I was left for a month alone with my villagers.

Then Friday came, my first full day in vill. I spent the morning learning to carry water on my head from the well, visiting my village's primary school, and doing laundry by hand. I spent the rest of the day visiting with my new host family (the mayor and his four wives, 20+ kids, and more) and walking around town, mainly staring at the river view in utter disbelief that this would be my home for the next two years.

I had only been there 48 hours (on Saturday) when I received the text message: two Frenchmen had been kidnapped in Niamey at a bar the night before. I sat in my concession for awhile thinking "this is not good." A little over a year ago, Peace Corps had given an optional Interrupted Service to volunteers and had removed an entire training class after an attempted kidnapping; this was much worse - they had been taken, there was no ransom, and they were killed during a rescue mission.

Still, I knew my villagers would do anything they could to protect me, and I still felt completely safe in my rural town. Then, Saturday afternoon, I had a terrifying experience that somewhat changed my perspective on things. I heard a motorcycle stop outside my concession, and soon after one of my host moms yelled that someone wanted to see me - I came outside to see a man in all camouflage holding a ginormous gun. Needless to say, I started mumbling words of terror in English and ran into my mom's house. Eventually, I figured out he was a policeman sent from a nearby village to come check on me after the night's events, but the whole encounter made salient to me how if something were to happen, I really wouldn't have many options.

Over the next few days, I continued to spend time settling in while getting to know my villagers and town. I still felt a bit on edge, but reassured myself with common sense: I'm in the middle of nowhere, no one dangerous knows where I am, and I am integrating into my village well. And to tell the truth, I really didn't have much time to dwell on it, as I was spending the large majority of every day getting to know my new family - and I was loving it.

They were friendly, curious, intelligent, happy, social, respectful, and were so excited to learn, help, and work with me. The kids asked me to teach them English the day I arrived; the women had begun informal classes learning to write (I sat in on a lesson where they learned to write numbers 1-4); and everyone took it upon themselves to help me with my Hausa, French, and Zarma. They defended my nationality with pride (she's American, not Chinese!!); they complimented my understanding of Hausa (a definite testament to their kindness and empathy towards my transition more than my actual fluent ability); they gave me completely unexpected gifts (a Nigerien necklace, soap, and PlumpyNut); and they even offered to get me a dog (dogs are considered very dirty in Islamic culture). Moreover, after I had said I'd like to eat with a host family, expecting a lunch and dinner cooked by a rotating mom, four women took it upon themselves to cook about five meals a day for me - I would literally finish one meal just as another would be put in front of me. Though it had only been a few days, I was already starting to see them as family - they seemed to completely love and accept me as soon as I arrived, without judgement or agenda.

Then, on Wednesday, my first day of work at the health hut, I got the call. It was a 6 minute 30 second conversation at 10:13 am, I hadn't even been there for two hours. "This is going to be really hard for me to say, so I'm just going to read it to you...." It took everything in me not to cry in the presence of Nigeriens (something that would be culturally inappropriate). I went home greeting my family along the way in all of the culturally acceptable answers: "All is well and in health, thanks for asking!" I contemplated telling them after greetings, but couldn't muster up the courage quite yet, so I told them I was going to my room for rest and studying. Instead, I woke up my parents, at what was 1:30 am their time, tears streaming down my face, "They're pulling us out. I have to pack all of my things. Peace Corps is evacuating Niger."

Within two minutes, my host grandma, Inanahgo, was at my door asking to come in. Still not wanting to be seen crying in front of Nigeriens, I told her, "not now!" as she barged in with clear concern covering her face. I explained that there was a big problem and I was told I was leaving by the next day. Within the next five minutes, it seemed the entire village was at my door, asking what had happened. I told my parents I would have to call them back, but before hanging up, my mom urged me to spend the day with people so I didn't feel so alone.

My Nigerien family seemed to know this. After the crowd had thinned out, I began sorting through my things and packing my clothes. My host sister, Sigha, came in to my mess of clothes and I told her that I had a lot of work to do, sort of expecting her to leave. Instead, she sat right down without hesitation and started folding alongside me. And there we were. Sigha hadn't even known me a week, yet she was helping me in a time of need, as any sister would.

More women came in as we were finishing up, so I decided to fulfill some of my Peace Corps missions to keep my mind off things (help those in need, teach them about America, and learn about other cultures). Actually, I ended up taking the whole day to cram in one week what I was expecting to have two years to do. I showed them pictures from home, explaining the circumstances under which each photo was taken - graduation, holidays, study abroad, the beach. I gave them moringa seeds I had hoped to plant with them. I taught them a few words of English: "moon," "sun," "sunny," "man," "woman," "baby," "water." And come nightfall, they taught me how to dance in their traditional style, full of entrancing booty shaking, and I taught them to dance the American way - with even the older women joining in. It could have easily been a miserable day, but it turned out to be one of the best.

Then, by afternoon the next day, I was gone.

Peace Corps has been in Niger since 1962, nearly 50 years of unbroken service. And now, after spending three months immersing myself in the culture, learning their hardships, and researching ways to alleviate some of them, I have left. Peace Corp has left. It's not that I'm so sad for myself, though I was devastated to leave behind my amazing village and my much anticipated two years in Niger, it's that I'm sad for the innocent, hardworking Nigerien people. There were about 100 Peace Core Volunteers currently serving in country. That equates to 100 Nigerien villages and arguably more than 100,000 people who are being directly affected by this loss. My heart breaks for the country where so much remains to be done. A country where malaria is a year round concern, where the average person cannot speak the national language, where families consist of multiple wives and 8+ children, where women spend their days pounding flour and carrying water and bending over a cookstove fire, where people cannot even read their own names.

As for now, we have been evacuated to Morocco temporarily. I'm enjoying the sights, but to tell the truth, it's very hard to soak it all up when I feel so completely overwhelmed, when everything has happened so quickly. Now, it is a waiting game before I get sent to a new country. Within the next couple of days, I will find out if I qualify for an immediate transfer. By the end of this weekend, I will likely be in a new country, whether that be back in the States for awhile or in some other, as of yet, unknown destination.

I'm excited for my new adventure, but completely heartbroken to leave the other one behind. I will keep you all updated, but in the meantime, I'd like to thank you for reading. By taking the time to learn what I have lived through, you are helping to fulfill one of Peace Corp's three missions, to learn about other cultures. By taking the time to read, you are helping me feel as though I accomplished something from the short time that I was there. By taking the time to read, you are bringing awareness to the issues of a people that so desperately need help. And I appreciate that wholeheartedly. Thank you.

Support Independent Funding for the Third GoalThe Peace Corps has always neglected the third goal, allocating less than 1% of their resources to "bringing the world back home." Senator Dodd addressed this issue in the "Peace Corps for the 21st Century" bill passed by the US Senate and Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter proposed a "Peace Corps Foundation" at no cost to the US government. Both are good approaches but the recent "Comprehensive Assessment Report" didn't address the issue of independent funding for the third goal at all.

Memo to Incoming Director WilliamsPCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

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Story Source: Personal Web Site

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Niger; Safety; Evacuation; Blogs - Niger

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